The Last Battle of the Lyonesse
by Firefall Bangenthump
Summary: Based on the final mission from the Battle at Procyon game. Admiral Amelia leads her fleet to a ceremony to inaugurate a new treaty between the Empire and their age-old enemy, the Procyons. When treachery threatens the Queen, Amelia and her loyal flag-lieutenant are forced into action alongside an old friend and an unexpected ally.
1. Old Friends and Older Enemies

Readers may recognise Aurora Mayflower and Dr Gray from 'A New Adventure'. The former can also be found in the Battle at Procyon game, the final mission of which forms the basis for the story below.

* * *

Admiral Amelia regarded herself critically in the mirror and brushed an imaginary speck of dust from one of her golden epaulettes. An admiral's dress uniform featured rather more gold than she had grown accustomed to wearing on the personalised blue coat she had worn during her years as an independent for hire, and it definitely featured more gold than she thought was wise to wear if a fight broke out. The red silk sash she wore across her chest was a further irritation and the less said about the high starched collar the better.

"It looks fine, ma'am." Lieutenant Aurora Mayflower, a younger felinid with dark mustard and white fur, was standing behind her in her stateroom aboard the RLS _Lyonesse_, holding her sword.

"Hmm." Amelia frowned and adjusted her belt. "It's been a long time since I had to wear any get-up like this. I think I'm out of the habit."

"It doesn't show." Aurora handed over the sword, smiling. Amelia nodded her thanks and bucked the weapon around her waist.

"It's very kind of you to say so, lieutenant. When are we due to arrive?"

"Parliament should be in sight any time now, ma'am," said Aurora. "No more than half an hour at most."

"Very well." Amelia surveyed her reflection one last time and turned away from the mirror. "And your own preparations? You are coming with me, I assume?"

Aurora blinked in surprise. "Ma'am? I assumed that you'd be taking the flag-captain to meet Her Majesty."

"The captain should stay with the ship," said Amelia. "Besides, you might be the navigator but you're still my personal aide, are you not?"

"Of course, ma'am, but..." Aurora shifted nervously. "I didn't expect to be meeting the Queen today."

"There's nothing to it," Amelia patted her shoulder reassuringly. "A smile, a bow and a handshake and that'll be all."

"You've met her before, ma'am?"

"No, but I read the protocol notes you gave me," Amelia smiled. "Don't tell me you don't read things before you pass them on, lieutenant."

"Well, no, but...as you wish, ma'am." Aurora nodded. "I'll make sure my dress blues are ready."

"Thank you." Amelia sighed. "It'll be good to have a friendly face there. I don't mind telling you, lieutenant, I'm not looking forward to this."

"Why not, ma'am? The signing of a permanent peace treaty between the Empire and the Procyon Hierarchy, a guarantee of security on our borders. It's no wonder they wanted you to attend in person. It's a great honour."

"Nothing is guaranteed when the damned Procs are involved, and they wouldn't know honour if it was stuck up them sideways. They were the first enemy I ever faced, you know." Amelia folded her hands behind her back and looked out of the gallery windows across the stern of the flagship. Half a dozen other Imperial warships, four fighting frigates and a pair of lighter scouts, presented a fine sight with their ivory white hulls decorated with blue and gold that shone in the starlight and bright ceremonial flags flying. The rest of Battlefleet Crescentia was following at a more discreet distance, on Amelia's express instruction.

"I'm aware of the history, ma'am, but we didn't have a treaty then," said Aurora. "Surely things are different now?"

"Once a Proc, always a Proc," Amelia stated bluntly. "The first Proc I ever really crossed swords with is their ambassador. Talonas Boas. I didn't trust him then, and I don't trust him now. Being in the same room as him..." she shook her head. "You'd better keep a close eye on me, lieutenant, and heaven help me if he wants to shake hands..."

"I'll do my best, ma'am. I could always ask Surgeon-Captain Gray to lend me a dose of sedative I could stick you with." Aurora smiled and looked up at the portrait of the Queen that hung in a silver frame over the admiral's desk and tried to change the subject. "Do you think she actually looks like that?"

"It's an old portrait," said Amelia, turning to it. "But perhaps she does. We'll find out soon enough, and it'll save me having to pay too much attention to the Procs..."

There was a knock on the door. Amelia, grateful for the distraction, nodded towards it.

"Enter!"

An officer opened the door a crack and touched his forelock.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am, but Parliament's in sight..."

"Thank you, Mr Pike. I'll be there directly." Amelia picked up her hat and saw that the young man was still hovering in the doorway. "Is there a problem?"

"Er...well, we're not sure, ma'am. The captain ordered a spectral analysis..."

Aurora raised her ears. "What's happening?"

"We're about to find out," said Amelia grimly. "Thank you, Mr Pike. You may go. As for you, Ms Mayflower, you'd better get those dress blues out...and make sure you bring your sword."

"Yes, ma'am." Aurora nodded and watched her stalk from the room.

"Admiral on deck!"

"As you were," Amelia waved her hand as she climbed onto the bridge. "Captain Rennier? Report."

The Benbonian officer was bent over the main console. He straightened up and touched his hat.

"Parliament is in visual range, ma'am," said Rennier. "But the sensors picked up a few stray energy traces. It may be nothing, or the remnants of a solar storm."

"Maybe," Amelia took a telescope offered to her by a midshipman and put it to her eye. The great Parliament, more a mobile space station than a true ship, was clearly visible as a large grey shape. She strained her eye to pick out anything unusual, and saw a series of small flashes break out across the Parliament's hull.

"There! Did you see it?" Lieutenant Commander Packham pointed at a display on the console. "Definite spike. An energy signature of some kind."

"Engine flare?" asked Amelia, knowing the answer.

Rennier shook his head. "No, ma'am. Still too far away to tell for sure."

Amelia folded up the telescope. "Then let's get ourselves closer. Rig full sail, captain. All ahead full. Signal the task force to keep pace."

"Yes, ma'am! Mr Pike? Make the signal." Rennier moved off, shouting orders. Amelia watched the flagship's sails unfurl fully, new canvas meeting the sun. She felt the thrum of the engines increase below decks and turned to look astern of them. She watched the brightly-coloured signal flags hoisted up the _Lyonesse'_s message halyard and saw the acknowledgement flags soon blossom from those of the ships behind her. Nodding in satisfaction, she turned back to look along the sleek lines of her ship, eyes alert to any deviance on the deck.

"Multiple contacts ahoy!" shouted the lookout, from the mainmast. "Multiple ships spotted!"

Amelia raised her telescope again and saw the spots moving around the Parliament, which was already so close that the great central dome was distinguishable. There was another series of flashes, and Amelia gritted her teeth.

"Weapons fire, ma'am!" shouted Packham. "High energy weapons!"

"It's a battle, ma'am," said Rennier, stunned. "What the blazes is going on? Pirates?"

"If only that were so," Amelia folded up the telescope with a snarl. "There are no pirates in this area, captain, only Procyons."

"Should we wait for Commodore Clendinnen to bring up the reserve fleet, ma'am?" said Rennier.

"No time. The attack must have already begun." Amelia's eyes were narrow and dangerous.

"Ma'am?" Aurora, her mass of blond hair tied back and her hands doing up the belt buckle on her dress uniform, arrived on the bridge at a run. "What is it?"

"Black bloody treachery, Ms Mayflower." Amelia stepped forward and raised her voice. "Clear for action! Clear for action! All hands to battle stations!" Whirling, she nodded to Pike. "Signal the task force to assume combat formation on us, Mr Pike."

"Aye, ma'am!" Pike turned away. In truth, it wasn't needed. The klaxon that screamed out its warning through the decks of the flagship could be heard clear across the void in the ships following her. Amelia raised her telescope again as the crew ran for their position. Small enemy ships were pulling alongside the Parliament's bulk while the larger vessels hung back and bombarded the space station relentlessly.

"Who is it, ma'am?" Aurora strained to see.

Amelia passed her the telescope. "See for yourself."

Aurora took it and raised it. She saw another salvo streaking towards the Parliament and followed the path of the shots back to their origin. There was no mistaking the grey and purple sails, or the triple-hulls.

"Procyons..." she whispered.

Amelia nodded grimly. "Procyons indeed, Ms Mayflower. Get to your post."

Aurora swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "A...aye, ma'am. Right away."

She turned and headed for the helm controls. A platoon of Royal Marines scrambled up to the bridge and began taking up firing positions around the edge of the raised deck, laslocks at the ready.

"We're at action stations, ma'am," said Rennier. "All decks and stations report ready."

"Load all guns and run them out," Amelia said crisply. "No time for subtlety. Navigator? Take us in around the Parliament's bows. Mr Pike, signal the task force into echelons by squadron astern of us. Unmask our broadsides."

"Yes, ma'am." Aurora nodded and performed a quick mental calculation. "Helm, ten degrees to port! Negative two degrees on the bow!"

The flagship creaked as it turned under the pressure of its acceleration. Amelia put a hand out to steady herself on the bridge console and picked up the brass cup of a speaking tube. A chime echoed across the ship, quieting the crew before she spoke.

"Attention all hands! This is the admiral speaking. As you know, we were bound for the Parliament under a flag of truce. We were going there to secure peace for our people. Now we are bound there to save them. Our Parliament is under assault. The Procyons have rewarded our tolerance with betrayal. They are poised now at the throat of the Empire. Our brothers and sisters have already engaged them. We are moving in to support them. This is not a drill, ladies and gentlemen. The Empire expects every one of us to do our duties."

She hung up the tube and watched as the Parliament began slipping by to starboard. The spaceborne city was already on fire in a dozen places, columns of flame and smoke rising into the etherium. The Procyon troopships which had forced their way into dock were discharging columns of grey-clad assault troops while the bulk of their fleet closed in rapidly. Amelia strode to Aurora and nodded to her.

"Take us in, navigator," she said. "Cross the 'T'."

"Aye, ma'am." Aurora swallowed again. "Helm to starboard! New heading zero four seven!"

"Reduce to combat speed, captain," said Amelia. "Let the gunners find their marks."

"Hands aloft to reef sails!" Rennier shouted.

"Starboard guns, target those troopships!" Amelia shouted. "Port guns, range on the warships!

"Ma'am? I think they've spotted us!"

The call from the other side of the bridge caught her attention. The second wave of Procyon ships was already starting to turn aside from their direct courses to Parliament and were starting to head towards them. Ranging shots from their bowchasers streaked past the _Lyonesse_. Amelia grinned, showing her teeth, feeling the thrill of battle return to her.

"I would be disappointed if they had not!" she said. "Here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Everyone pick a raccoon and start firing. There's plenty for everyone!"

The officers and spacers on the bridge chuckled. Amelia turned to the Katydian officer at the fire control station and nodded.

"Starboard guns to target the transports, Mr Constantine. Port guns to range on those warships," she said. "Open fire."

The calmness in her voice belied the cacophony the simple order unleashed. Aurora braced herself as the flagship's grand battery spoke, trying not to flinch at the concussion. The hail of shells from the port guns thundered towards the lead Procyon cruiser and she saw explosions against its hull and a hole torn through one of its sails. The starboard guns rained their fury onto an enemy transport that had docked at the Parliament, splitting its hull open and sending explosions through the assault troops mustering on the dock. The broken transport fell away in a cloud of shattered timbers.

"Power to the autoloaders!" shouted Amelia. "Reload, retarget! Narrow the firing solution!"  
Aurora looked over her shoulder as the ships in line behind the _Lyonesse_ began discharging their guns. The task force's sudden arrival had taken the Procyons by surprise. They were reacting quickly, but Amelia's ships were crossing their bows, maximising the amount of firepower that could be brought to bear against them while limiting the Procyons to their smaller bow guns in return. The cruiser the _Lyonesse_ had hit spat back spitefully and Aurora felt the ship give a jolt as a shell slammed into her side.

"New contacts dead ahead!" A spacer called from the main mast.

"Friend or foe?" shouted Rennier.

"Both, sir!"

"Both?" Amelia raised her head and saw. Two groups of ships were approaching the battle from the other side. "Who the blazes is that?"

Aurora took the telescope and picked out the big ship leading the smaller group. "It's the RLS _Victory_, ma'am! Three other Imperial vessels alongside."

"The _Victory_? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely sure, ma'am, I know the cut of her topsails. Its the _Victory_ all right!"

Amelia smiled to herself. "Acting Commander Hawkins...why does that not surprise me. But who are his friends?"

Aurora panned the telescope over to the second, larger group of ships. She could scarcely believe the evidence of her eyes, but the dark hulls and blood red sails could mean only one thing.

"Pirates, ma'am!"

"The _Victory _is signalling, admiral," said Pike. "Signal reads...they're on our side."

Amelia looked up. The pirate fleet, led by an enormous galleon, was turning towards the wave of Procyons bearing down on them. Taking her telescope back, she increased the magnification and scanned the bridge. She saw the big figure standing in the middle, gesturing with a metallic arm which glinted as it caught the light of a distant star.

"Silver..." she murmured.

"Ma'am?" Aurora frowned.

"Nothing, lieutenant, nothing. Signal Commander Hawkins to continue clearing the enemy from Parliament," said Amelia, shaking her head. "We'll take care of this lot."

"Are we changing course, ma'am?" asked Aurora.

"Steady as she goes, Ms Mayflower," Amelia shook her head again. "Mr Constantine?"

Constantine nodded. "Guns ready, ma'am."

"Very good! Fire!"

The flagship's second salvo was much tighter than the first. The cruiser visibly shuddered as the maelstrom hit it. A mast keeled over like a falling tree, smashing across the deck. The second wave of Procyons was turning to go broadside to broadside, but Amelia's ships still held the initiative. The space between the two forces was criss-crossed with fire as they traded blows. Almost lost amid the thunder of the cannons, the marines on the bridge began firing their laslocks as the range closed. Procyon warriors crowding the rails of their ships were already shooting. The pandemonium as the two fleets converged was almost overwhelming. Amelia felt her flagship take a hit, and then more, as the Procyon broadsides came to bear. For a moment, the full firepower of both sides was unleashed. Aurora flinched as a shot flashed past just above her head, trying not to cry out in shock. A shell struck the side of the bridge with a brilliant purple flash and a handful of marines fell back from the rail.

"Get that man to Dr Gray!" shouted Amelia, seeing that one of them was seriously wounded. "Get him below!"

She looked around at Aurora, a brief look of concern on her face. Aurora saw and and gave what she hoped was a confident smile. Amelia nodded and smiled back.

"Hard a port, navigator. Take us across them again."

"Yes, ma'am!" Aurora's smile strengthened as she understood Amelia's plan. "Helm! Thirty degrees to port! Hold five degrees negative on the bow!"

The Procyon second wave had turned to starboard to bring their broadsides to bear. Amelia's ships, moving fast, has outflanked them and now turned across their exposed sterns. Aurora saw the guns of the _Lyonesse_ track the lead enemy cruiser again, and watched as its central hull split open, drives rupturing in a spectacular fireball. She saw at least three other Procyon ships blown apart by the task force's sustained fire.

"Target destroyed, ma'am!" she shouted.

"Very good!" Amelia grinned. "New target, Mr Rennier!"

"Aye, ma'am!" The flag-captain stepped forwards. "Gunners, retarget!"

The pirates were circling around the back of the Procyons, capturing them in a vice of ships. Amelia saw Silver's galleon lash a Procyon cruiser with gunfire at point blank range, reducing it to a burning wreck. Other pirate vessels, sensing easy kills and loot, dived into the confused mass of Procyons with a will. A cheer went up from the Imperial flagship as their unlikely allies tore into the foe. But Rennier was silent, raising a hand and pointing.

"My stars..." he murmured. "What the hells is that?"

Amelia turned in surprise and saw what he was staring at. In the rear of the Procyon formation was a single vessel, but it took her a moment to identify it as a ship at all. Twin hulls, clad in metal and topped with heavy turrets, an armoured castle between them, belching smokestacks in place of masts. Two pirate raiders tried to bar its way for a moment, but one was swiftly crippled with close-range gunfire and the other was smashed asunder by the ship's colossal bows, which shunted it aside as if it had been no more substantial than a leaf.

"Ironclad!"

The cry was taken up among the crew. The Ironclads had been the scourge of the Royal Navy's frontier patrols for over a year. Everyone who had heard of them knew of the reputation. Even the rumour of one had been enough to convince a whole patrol squadron to abort their mission. The name sent shivers down the spine of every spacer. Amelia narrowed her eyes as she heard the whispers and cries of dismay.

"Silence!"

Her voice even seemed to cut through the sound of the battle. Aurora found herself unconsciously standing to attention as Amelia turned and glared at her command crew.

"That is a ship like any other! What was made, can be unmade! What was built can be destroyed! We will not be disengating"

"But, ma'am, how do we fight it?" Pike's face was pale. "How?"

The ironclad's turrets turned to face them and fired. Aurora braced herself as the heavy shells ripped through the flagship's timbers and she turned her eyes to Amelia, hoping that she had an answer. Amelia watched the ironclad take a salvo from the ship behind them, saw the shells bursting against the metal hull and leaving only dents behind. The Procyon machine's turrets turned again to face the new target and fired. The Imperial ship buckled as they tore into its vitals and Aurora saw debris and bodies drift away as the ship span out of the formation.

"Target the turret rings!" shouted Amelia. "Raise the guns! Maximum elevation and load with high impact! Now! Ms Mayflower?"

Aurora nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Helm, roll ten degrees starboard!"

The ironclad turned its attention back to them, lighter secondary guns in sponsons tracking the flagship. The main deck was raked with explosions, sending splinters and shrapnel flying past the bridge. Rennier gave a truncated shout and fell. Aurora bit back a cry as she felt something drive itself into her arm. She fell to her knees, lilac eyes wide with pain and clutching at her sleeve.

"Guns ready, ma'am!" she heard Constantine shout.

"Fire as you bear!" Amelia shouted. "Fire! Fire!"

Aurora took her hand away from her arm and saw her palm covered in blood. She hissed at the sight of a splinter nearly a foot long protruding from her and tore off her cravat to make a bandage. The _Lyonesse_'s salvo struck the ironclad, most harmlessly bouncing off the armoured turrets or pockmarking the hull, but a handful found the vulnerable joints between them and punched through. The turrets were rotating to bear, but they juddered to a halt as the shells destroyed their mechanisms. Aurora saw the ironclad struggling to turn towards them and pushed herself to her feet.

"Port engines, full astern! Starboard engines, all ahead emergency full! Helm, hard to port!" she shouted.

Amelia looked at her in surprise, but grinned as she understood. The battered flagship shook as it began turning almost on the spot, timbers straining under the force of the sudden manoeuvre. It brought them around the ironclad's stern, where its engines were exposed, and Amelia raised her voice triumphantly.

"All guns! Fire!"

The ironclad bucked as the _Lyonesse_ hit it. Flames billowed out from the engines as they were torn asunder and secondary explosions wracked the hull. There was a scream of metal as the hulls twisted, opening up breaches all along their flanks. Amelia's ships were not slow to take advantage and they poured their fire into the weak points. Wreathed in the smoke of its own demise, the Procyon machine died. Cheers erupted across the _Lyonesse_ as the crew celebrated the success. Amelia grinned at Aurora.

"I commend you on your quick thinking, navigator."

"Thank you, ma'am." Aurora grinned back, forgetting the pain in her arm as she savoured the kill.

Amelia nodded and turned to survey her bridge. "All hands, report! Mr Rennier?"

Pike looked up from the fallen Benbonian and shook his head. "Dead, ma'am."

"Power system is fluctuating, ma'am," said Packham. "We've lost the autoloaders on the port batteries."

"Engines down to seventy percent capacity, admiral," Aurora surveyed the helm control. "Rudder jammed with four degrees elevation, but I can compensate. Thrusters operational."

"Very good." Amelia folded her arms behind her back. "Someone contact Dr Gray and get a casualty report."

There was a hesitation among the officers before one of them gave up and left the bridge to interrupt the ship's surgeon in her work. Amelia turned to survey her squadrons and saw to her satisfaction that the ship which the ironclad had destroyed was the only total loss, though every survivor bore the scars of battle and Amelia quickly realised that another close-range engagement would not go as successfully.

"Signal to the RLS _Pegasus_," she said. "Order them to lead the task force back to Parliament to support Mr Hawkins' ships. Have the _Prince Regent_ and the _Lightning_ withdraw to safe distance and stand by in reserve. And how are our...allies doing?"

Aurora looked at the pirate fleet. "There aren't as many as there used to be, ma'am. But they're there."

"Signal my thanks to the flagship." Amelia grinned. "Who knew that there was some good in the blackguard after all?"

Pike touched his hat and went to make the signals. Amelia looked down on the main deck as a hatchway opened and a team of white-coated medics emerged on deck. Surgeon-Captain Gray, leading them, looked up to the bridge and Amelia gave her a nod of acknowledgement. The Macropodian returned it and began directing her staff towards the wounded.

"You'd best get yourself seen to as well, Ms Mayflower," said Amelia. "That can't be comfortable."

"It's only a scratch." Aurora patted the bandage she had tied around her arm. "There's worse than me, anyway, and you know how the surgeon-captain is for proper triage."

Amelia grinned. "Indeed I do. Well, then, lieutenant...your first full-scale engagement, if I'm not mistaken?"

Aurora smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

"Then I'm glad it had a satisfactory..." Amelia looked up and her voice trailed away. "...conclusion..."

"Ma'am?" Aurora blinked in puzzlement. Amelia pointed.

"It's not over yet..."

Aurora felt her heart sink as she followed Amelia's finger. A third wave of Procyon ships was emerging from the ethereal haze, a whole flotilla of ironclads in the vanguard. Even combined, the Imperial and pirate fleets were outnumbered two to one. The centre of the Procyon line was occupied by a huge three-hulled battleship, with an escorting ironclad on each side.

"Signal from the pirate flagship, ma'am," said Pike. "Message reads...'from Silver: got any more bright ideas?'"

Amelia smiled sardonically. "I could say the same to that old sod..."

"Shall we reform the line, ma'am?" asked Packham.

Amelia shook her head. "No, commander...no...they'd roll right over the top of us. Tell the task force to disperse and reform on Parliament. Send a subspace message to Commodore Clendinnen to bring the Battlefleet up immediately. And tell Mr Silver that he'd better do likewise with his forces."

"Yes, ma'am...and us?"

Amelia leaned on the rail of the bridge and watched the Procyons bearing down on them. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. For a moment, everyone was watching her. Then she raised her head, looked out at the enemy again, and nodded.

"Get the crew into the longboats, Mr Packham," she said quietly. "Rig all ship's systems to central control, and then get the crew into the longboats."

"We're abandoning ship, ma'am?" said Constantine, looking surprised.

"No, Mr Constantine. You are." Amelia turned to face her surviving officers. "I will tolerate no disagreement, gentlemen. Get the crew off. Get the fleet back to Parliament. The _Lyonesse_ will cover you."

"Ma'am?"

Amelia walked across the bridge, stripping off her gold-encrusted coat and draping it over Rennier's body as she calmly made her way to the wheel. She nodded to the spacer who held it, who touched his forelock and stepped aside, looking stunned. Amelia wrapped her hands around the spoke handles and tested their grip.

"That was an order, Mr Packham," she said.

Packham nodded dumbly and turned to the console. "Aye...aye, ma'am. All systems set to central control."

"Thank you, commander. Thank you all." Amelia nodded to them. "It's been an honour."

"The honour was ours, ma'am," Packham saluted. Amelia returned the gesture. Packham acknowledged it and turned, raising his voice.

"All hands to the longboats! Quickly, now!"

Amelia locked the wheel into position and stepped forward to watch the evacuation. Not at all to her surprise, even as the crew moved towards the longboats there was one figure moving the other way. Dr Gray climbed the bridge steps and held out a piece of paper, stained with blood from her gloved fingers.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?

"My duty, doctor," said Amelia. "Nothing more. And I expect you to do the same. Load your casualties onto the longboats."

Gray twitched a long ear. THERE WON'T BE MUCH ROOM LEFT FOR YOU.

"I know.' Amelia reached out a hand and briefly touched the Macropodian's shoulder. "Don't make me order you twice. Go. Now. You'll be needed."

Gray's eyes wavered for a moment behind her spectacles. They met Amelia's for a long moment before the doctor nodded.

YES, MA'AM.

"Thank you. Good luck." Amelia looked back up at the oncoming enemy fleet. "And you'd better make it quick..."

The longboats were launching one by one. Amelia watched them curve away and turn back towards Parliament, following the remaining ships of her fleet as they scattered. She tore off her red silk sash as she knelt to take a laslock rifle from a fallen marine and slung it around her shoulders before she returned to the helm and took the wheel again to hold it steady. Gray was in the last longboat to leave, having painstakingly supervised the loading of a dozen stretcher-bound patients. Amelia gave her a wave as she pushed off, and then took a deep breath. Alone on the bridge, she set her shoulders square and gripped the wheel anew.

"Ma'am?"

Aurora appeared at the top of the bridge stairs, breaking her concentration. Amelia blinked in surprise.

"Ms Mayflower? What are you still doing here?"

"There's one longboat left, ma'am...its a bit damaged, but still spaceworthy in a pinch..."

"That's not what I asked you!" Amelia glared.

Aurora met her eyes. "I'm not leaving you, ma'am."

"What?"

"I said that I'm not leaving you." Aurora stepped towards her. "I'm your navigator, your flag-lieutenant...and I...I'm more besides. You know that. Whatever it is you're planning, I'll wager you can't do it alone."

"You know what staying could mean, don't you?" Amelia nodded at the Procyons.

"That I guess I won't be meeting the Queen today after all," smiled Aurora.

"Aurora?"

Aurora met Amelia's eyes and saw the serious look in them. "I...I do, ma'am. I know." Aurora put her hand on the wheel, resting it on Amelia's softly. "Please."

Amelia looked into her lilac eyes for a moment and smiled. "Then take your position at fire control, lieutenant. We're going to make a diversion."

"Ma'am?"

Amelia pointed to the Procyon battleship. "That's the personal flagship of the Procyon Ambassador. You can see the flags its flying. Boas is on that thing...and I think I know how to get his attention. We won't have to buy much time for the reserve fleet to arrive."

"Boas is the Procyon you fought, ma'am?" Aurora moved over to the fire control console.

"Yes. The tally of our engagements is rather in my favour, if I do say so myself," Amelia allowed herself a small smirk. "But he's a persistent little bugger. And I don't think he'll be able to resist the bait."

"I understand, ma'am." Aurora nodded. "So we're a diversion, then?"

"Something like that." Amelia span the wheel, turning the _Lyonesse_ towards the enemy. "Start plotting a firing solution on the flagship, lieutenant. Don't worry too much about precision...all we need to do is get his attention and singe his pride."

Aurora nodded and began calculating. With the gun crew evacuated, the cannon were locked into a fixed position pointing straight out and at zero elevation. They would have to use the ship itself to do any kind of aiming. She looked up and around at Amelia and saw a faraway look on her face. A few Procyon ships were already firing on them, even though they were still well out of effective range, but even that did not seem to be waking Amelia from her reverie.

"Ma'am?" Aurora cocked her head. "What is it?"

"Hmm?" Amelia shook herself. "Oh, nothing, nothing...I was just thinking..."

"Of what, ma'am?"

Amelia smiled. "Well...if you must know...I was thinking how much...how much I wish I'd said a proper goodbye to Delbert. And the children."

Aurora nodded sadly and looked down at the deck. "I understand, ma'am. I wish I'd had the chance as well."

Amelia looked up wistfully as a shell whistled overhead. The _Lyonesse'_s bows were moving quickly as the flagship turned across the front of the Procyon fleet.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" she asked.

"I'm sure they would be, ma'am. If the children have inherited anything from you, they would be."

"And Delbert?" Amelia sighed. "You know, Aurora, sometimes I feel like I met him only yesterday."

Aurora smiled. "I do as well, ma'am...but then, you've known him for longer than I have. And you've made every moment of it count."

"I'd like to think so...but then there are always regrets...just little things, you know? Cups of tea offered and foregone...walks never taken...a knowing smile exchanged when I should have told him..." Amelia's eyes wavered for a moment. "Should have told him that I love him...and the children are so young that I know they wouldn't understand, but even so..."

"Delbert knows, ma'am," said Aurora. "I'm sure of it. And children are amazingly resilient. You can take it from me. I know how it was when your family took me in."

"Of course. You're right." Amelia nodded. "And I'm sure that Delbert knows what you feel for him, too...as do I. I am...very glad that you're here, Aurora. Very glad indeed,"she finished gently.

"So am I, ma'am," said Aurora softly. "And ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"There'll be time for as many walks and cups of tea as you want. It doesn't have to end today." Aurora raised her head and looked defiantly at the enemy. "Not today."

Amelia opened her mouth to speak again, but a second shell streaked overhead, severing the signalling halyard with a high-pitched snap. She shook herself and nodded decisively.

"Well, let's see that it doesn't. It's time we got to work, lieutenant."

Aurora touched her forelock. "Aye, admiral. Time indeed."


	2. Turning the Tide

Aurora could see the turrets on the leading ironclads turning to track them. A few Procyon ships fired torpedoes, the rockets blazing out of their armoured tubes towards them, but even seventy percent of the _Lyonesse_'s full speed was no crawl and Aurora knew that any torpedo hits would be a matter of luck rather than judgement.

"Let's give them a tweak, shall we," said Amelia. "Starboard guns, fire!"

Aurora's hand touched the trigger. The starboard batteries fired as one, the ship's automatic control systems producing a salvo more synchronised than any team of gunners could achieve. The shells flew wildly, none scoring any hits, but several Procyon ships took hurried evasive action to avoid them. Aurora hit the row of switches to activate the autoloaders to recharge the guns.

"Next salvo, aim for Boas' ship," said Amelia, spinning the wheel. "That first one was for show. The next one will have to count."

"Aye, ma'am. And so it will," Aurora promised. She watched the row of indicator lights on her console change to green as the guns reloaded. The incoming fire was intensifying as the Procyons found the range and the _Lyonesse_ shuddered as their shells began striking home. Crossing the centre of the Procyon line, they were exposed to the maximum amount of fire. Amelia flinched as she saw a shell tear straight through the hull and detonate on the other side. She raised her telescope and scanned the Procyon flagship until she saw a familiar figure standing on its bridge.

"Boas..." she whispered.

"Steady, ma'am!" Aurora called. "Hold this course!"

Amelia put the telescope aside, nodded and gripped the wheel, trying to ignore the sound of splintering timbers. Something in the forecastle was hit, exploded and started burning fiercely.

"Fire as you bear, Ms Mayflower!" she shouted.

Aurora braced herself against the console and watched the enemy flagship as it bore down on them, bowchasers blazing. Switching the remaining starboard guns to single fire, she began mentally counting down the range.

"Now!"

The guns boomed out one after the other as Aurora fired them individually. She watched the tracers streaking across the etherium towards the target. Holes appeared in the Procyon battleship's sails and an explosion blossomed on the hull. Amelia grinned and raised her telescope again. The figure on the battleship's bridge was picking itself up off the deck and gesticulating wildly.

"Well done, lieutenant! I think he might have noticed us!"

The _Lyonesse_ raced past the Procyon flagship. Amelia turned and laughed triumphantly as she saw the trimaran altering course to follow them.

"I knew it! Come on, Boas, you bastard! Come and catch us if you think you're fast enough!"

The Imperial warship shook as a heavy shell from one of Boas' ironclad escorts tore into it. Aurora heard a cracking sound as the mizzenmast was fractured below the deck. It creaked alarmingly under the stress of its billowing canvas. Aurora looked up at it in alarm and saw that Amelia had noticed it too.

"I think we'd better start planning our departure, don't you?" Amelia shouted.

Aurora nodded. "Yes, ma'am! I'll see to the longboat!"

"Very good!" Amelia locked the wheel into position and moved across the bridge, pausing to look behind her to see if the bait was working. The Procyon flagship was settling into position astern of them, guns spitting vindictively. The ironclads escorting it were lumbering into place on either side. To Amelia's satisfaction, the rest of the Procyon fleet seemed unwilling to abandon their commander and was hurriedly altering course to follow them. A glance at the fire control console vacated by Aurora told her that the guns were reloaded, so she fired them off again on general principle. She wasn't expecting to hit anything and was not disappointed, but the show of defiance seemed to attract the attention of a few more Procyon warships. Almost the entire enemy fleet was now chasing after them. Amelia allowed herself a grin and left the bridge, running down to join Aurora on the main deck. The younger felinid was crouched in the back of a longboat which had been blasted free from its mounting, working desperately to release it from the last chain.

"Report!" Amelia swung herself up alongside her.

Aurora shook her head angrily. "The clamp is buckled, ma'am! I can't free it!"

Amelia looked at the twisted metal and nodded. She swung the rifle off her shoulder and primed it swiftly. Understanding, Aurora scrambled out of the way and covered her face and hair with her blue coat. The crack of Amelia's shot was lost in a cacophony of sounds as Procyon fire hammered into the _Lyonesse_, but by the time Aurora looked up again the chain had been shot loose.

"Carry on, lieutenant," said Amelia calmly, putting the rifle over her shoulder again.

Aurora grinned and touched her forelock. Procyon shells were streaking overhead now, so thick that it was no longer possible to distinguish one ship's salvo from another. The flagship's foremast was hit and collapsed with a terrible splintering sound.

"She'll be down to less than half speed with all those sails gone, ma'am!" shouted Aurora.

"Then we'd best be going, don't you think?" Amelia stood up and grasped the ropes to open the longboat's single sail. It resisted at first before it fell open, catching the light and starting to glow. Aurora secured it as Amelia took up the controls and tested them carefully. The _Lyonesse_ shook under the ferocious bombardment and began rolling, exposing her belly to the Procyons as her struggling engines began misfiring. Aurora could feel the flagship's death throes as an almost physical pain and tried to concentrate on the business at hand.

"We'll have to keep the ship between us and the enemy, ma'am," she said. "If they see us escaping..."

"I'm inclined to agree," said Amelia, gripping the throttle. "Keep a watch behind us and make sure we're screened. Oh, and I'd hold onto something, if I were you..."

The longboat leapt from the deck so quickly and Aurora cried out and fell, reaching out to the first support that came to hand. It took her a moment to realise that it was Amelia. She cried out again and pushed herself backwards, frantically apologising.

"Sorry, ma'am! I wasn't quick enough!"

Amelia laughed. "Not something to be concerned about right now, navigator!"

Aurora nodded and settled next to Amelia, looking back at the _Lyonesse_. The ship had rolled through almost ninety degrees now. The fire in her forecastle was spreading back along her length and flames were now billowing from her open gunports. To Aurora's surprise, a few of her cannons fired one last time. She knew it was an accident – a power surge caused by a Procyon shell hit triggering the guns that the few remaining autoloaders had been to rearm, most likely – but a part of her appreciated her ship's defiance. The _Lyonesse_ died as she lived, militant and proud to the last. The Procyon flagship's batteries tore into her stern, exploding the cabins and sending a halo of broken glass flying into space. The ironclads' turreted guns pounded the _Lyonesse_ from point blank range. Aurora saw one of the them break the flagship's back, the slender vessel taking on a distinctly bowed shape before her keel finally gave way in a bloom of flame.

"She's gone, ma'am!" Aurora shouted. "The _Lyonesse _is gone!"

The Procyons caught up with her, firing vindictively into the shattered hull even though it was clear that she was out of the fight. Ironclads bracketed her stern, pummelling it mercilessly until the engines exploded in a flash of brilliant blue. Aurora closed her eyes against the glare.

"Thank you," she whispered, thinking of the flagship one last time. "Thank you."

Amelia turned to look at her and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, but it was a fleeting moment before the seriousness of the situation returned and she reached down to cut the longboat's engine. The small craft began coasting along silently.

"Are they following us, lieutenant?" said Amelia.

Aurora, taking a small telescope out of a locker set beside the longboat engine, put it to her eye. "Not that I can see, ma'am..."

"Excellent." Amelia sighed with relief. "Hopefully that distracted the Procs for long enough for the task force to reform on Parliament."

Aurora panned the telescope around until she saw something that made her blood run cold. A single ironclad had broken away from the Procyon fleet and was heading straight for Parliament. The surviving ships of the task force had joined up with Hawkins' small squadron and were hurrying into position, but it looked worryingly like too little. Certainly too little to face the metal juggernaut that was powering towards them.

"There's an ironclad, ma'am," said Aurora. "It didn't follow us...it's heading for Mr Hawkins' ships..."

"What?" Amelia scrambled to see. "Blast it!"

Aurora looked desperately for a miracle as the massive war machine bore down on the scattered defenders. And then she saw it.

"Ma'am! Another ship!"

"Where?"

Aurora handed her the telescope. "Emerging from behind the ironclad, ma'am! It's the pirate flagship! I...I think she means to ram..."

Amelia raised the telescope and saw Silver's galleon, all sails unfurled, heading right for the ironclad's flank. The Procyon's turrets turned to face it and began firing, but the big ship was too close and moving too close. Great pieces of it were torn off, but still she stood on. Amelia saw longboats fleeing the galleon as her crew evacuated, but it was clear from the way she kept turning toward the ironclad that someone was still on board at the helm.

"Silver..." she whispered. "I never thought I'd see the day..."

Aurora couldn't see the sickening impact as the two capital ships came together, the pirate's reinforced serrated ram carving through the Procyon's armoured hull. But she did see the blinding fireball that burst out of the collision and she raised a hand to shield her eyes.

"What happened, ma'am? What happened?"

"He rammed it," Amelia closed the telescope, shaking her head slowly. "He rammed it..."

Aurora looked back at the Procyons. They were milling around the wreckage of the Lyonesse, apparently dumbstruck by the destruction of the ironclad. She took up the longboat's controls and pointed the bow back towards the Parliament.

"Permission to return to the taskforce, ma'am?" she said.

Amelia nodded. "Permission granted."

The engine fired up as Aurora opened the throttle. Amelia opened the telescope again and watched the Procyons carefully.

"Make for the RLS _Victory_, Ms Mayflower," she said. "We don't have much time. We bought a respite, not a redemption. The Procs will be back...and they still outnumber us."

"Some of the pirate fleet must still be intact," said Aurora.

Amelia snorted. "Without Silver to keep them in line, I've no doubt that those rats will abandon us. No, my dear navigator, I think the Navy stands alone again."

Aurora bit her lip. Ahead of them she could see the thin, defiant line of Imperial ships forming up. She steered for that one that looked like the _Victory_, but it was a long way away. The great Parliament, still billowing smoke from a dozen places, was lumbering to safety. But it was clear that it was too slow. Amelia hissed a curse as the Procyon fleet resumed its advance. Boas' flagship led the way, not waiting for the rest of the fleet to fall in around it. The other Procyon vessels were left scrambling and what was once a line abreast formation became line astern. But against the slender, battered Imperial opposition, Amelia knew it would be enough. Not even Hawkins could pull enough out of the fire to stop what was coming his way. She gritted her teeth and snarled with fury at being stuck in a tiny, unarmed longboat at a time like this.

"Ma'am?" Aurora tried to raise her arm to point, but winced at the pain it brought. "I see ships ahead. New ships."

Amelia whirled around and tossed the telescope to Aurora, who only just caught it in time. She relinquished the controls to Amelia and scrambled to the bow.

"Who can you see, navigator?" Amelia tried to keep the racing longboat steady, trusting in the younger felinid's more acute eyesight. Aurora raised the telescope and dialled the controls up to maximum magnification. A large group of ships was passing the retreating Parliament in the opposite direction. Their white hulls glowed.

"They're Imperial, ma'am!" said Aurora.

"Are they ours?"

Aurora tried to pick out the colours on the fleet's signal flags. "I...I think so, ma'am! It's the battlefleet!"

She watched in awe as the full might of Battlefleet Crescentia was brought to bear. Over a score of ships of the line advancing under full sail, gunports open. Dozens of smaller ships, from heavy fighting frigates to light torpedo boats, flocked around them. The subspace message Amelia had ordered just before battle was joined had been received and the fleet had piled on as much speed as possible.

"Well, well, well," Amelia smiled. "The cavalry arrives. And perhaps just in time, too."

"Ma'am?" Aurora turned to look at her.

Amelia took a deep breath and nodded. "Make for the fleet, Ms Mayflower. Let's turn the tide."

Aurora smiled back. "Aye, aye, admiral."

The Imperial reinforcements passed by Hawkins' few ships, heading straight for the oncoming armada. The Procyons were trying madly to bring their fleet into a fighting formation, but it was too late. Squadrons had been broken up, ships were straggling, commanders couldn't see their subordinates to signal them. The Imperial fleet began turning to present its combined broadsides to the Procyon flagship, still at the head of its column. Boas tried to turn his battleship to reply, but succeeded only in getting in the way of his own ships behind him. Two ironclads collided in their desperate attempts to avoid running down his trimaran, the nimbler Procyon ships managing to break out and unmask their guns but also exposing themselves to Battlefleet Crescentia's. Aurora couldn't hide a savage, triumphant grin as she saw what was about to be unleashed. She turned to Amelia, who was wearing the same expression, her teeth shining.

"Now, lieutenant," Amelia said, her eyes sparkling as they caught the light of the first salvoes. "The turning tide just became a flood. Make a signal to the fleet. It's time we got back into the fight."

She held out her hand, holding a flare pistol and offering the butt to Aurora, who took it and armed it.

"Yes, ma'am! Firing now!"

Aurora braced herself against the kick of the gun, but couldn't avoid a hiss of pain at the recoil. The flare was launched about fifteen metres from the longboat before it burst into a brilliant white. Shading her eyes, Aurora opened the gun's breech and loaded another cartridge, which she launched after the first one.

"Come on, come on..." Amelia narrowed her eyes and watched the fleet. "Someone must have seen that..."

A torpedo boat at the edge of the Imperial formation peeled away as if in response and began heading towards them, firing a green acknowledgement flare.

"Rescue is on the way, ma'am!" called Aurora.

Amelia nodded and steered towards the little ship. "I see it, lieutenant. Prepare to come alongside."

Aurora put the flare gun aside gratefully and stood up in the prow of the longboat, waving as the little warship approached. She could read the name _Firebrand_ on the ship's bow and cupped her hand around her mouth as it came within range.

"Ahoy, _Firebrand_! Ahoy there!"

"Longboat aye!" came a shouted reply.

"Two to take aboard, sir!" Aurora called back.

"Two aye! Stand by!"

The torpedo boat cruised past them, braking thrusters firing. Muttering darkly, Amelia brought the longboat around and guided it up to the larger vessel's side. Spacers reached out with boathooks to draw it in, and ropes were quickly tossed over. Aurora caught one and did her best to secure it despite the pain in her arm. Amelia shut down the engine and stood up imperiously in the stern, looking up to the torpedo boat's bridge.

"Permission to come aboard?" she said sharply.

"Granted!" A man left the bridge and hurried down to meet them. "Are there any injuries amongst you?"

"My flag-lieutenant's arm could do with some attention," said Amelia, stepping onto the deck of the ship. "Are you coming, Ms Mayflower?"

"Yes, ma'am. Right behind you. But I can manage with the arm for now, thank you." Aurora stuck the telescope in her belt and followed Amelia. The officer who had greeted them, no more than a lieutenant, looked momentarily confused.

"Flag-lieutenant? But that would make you...you..."

"Admiral Amelia," said Amelia. "Well done, that man."

The human stared at her. Without her gold-encrusted hat and coat, her white clothes and tan fur stained with smoke and grime, and with a rifle still around her shoulders, Amelia looked nothing like her rank. The luckless officer glanced at Aurora and seemed to take some solace in the sight of the gold on her dress uniform.

"Er...right...Admiral. Um, welcome aboard...Lieutenant J.S. Wynn, 12th Torpedo Squadron, officer commanding RLS _Firebrand_ at your service. Ma'am."

"Yes. You are." Amelia set off for the bridge, striding so quickly that Wynn had to scamper to keep up with her. "I appreciate your assistance lieutenant, but we're missing the fight. Turn this ship around."

"Er, right, ma'am. I mean, aye aye, Admiral." Wynn waved at his helmsman. "Bring her about, Petty Officer. Full speed."

Aurora looked around the deck. The torpedo launches were mounted outboard of the small ship's main hull, and the ship's single gun was mounted on a raised pedestal in the bows that could turn to face any direction. Small ships like this tended to have either excellent crews due to the amount of time they spent in space compared to the big, expensive ships-of-the-line, or else they had green crews drawn up from the reserves to fill the gaps. This appeared to be one of the latter. The gun's crew were hanging around it as if frozen, looking dumbstruck at Amelia as she mounted the bridge.

"Don't just stand there gawking, you lot!" Aurora snapped. "There's a battle to win!"

Amelia saw the helmsman staring at her as she reached the bridge and gave him a glare.

"You heard your commander, helmsman. Bring her about!"

The tone in her voice permitted no argument, and the wheel was already spinning in his hands before his brain engaged sufficiently to nod his head and form the words of an acknowledgement. But Amelia had already moved on, striding to the edge of the bridge and looking back at the battle unfolding behind them.

"Do you have a signalling system, Mr Wynn?"

"Yes, ma'am! Fully operational."

"Very good." Amelia glanced around as Aurora joined them. "Then signal Commodore Clendinnen that I am resuming control of the fleet. Transmit my command code. It's time we finished this once and for all."

Aurora raised the telescope to her eye. The first phase of the main battle was already over, and the number of Procyon hulks burning or drifting out of control was a clear indicator of who had come out of it the best. But the Procyon armada was already reforming around its ironclads as the Imperial fleet, its first pass complete, was heading away from it and towards the torpedo boat. Amelia narrowed her eyes calculatingly, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the Procyons got in behind her ships and could pick them off at will.

"Come on," she muttered impatiently. "Someone saw that..."

Aurora watched an acknowledgement flare rise from one of the leading Crescentia battleships as Amelia's resumption of command was seen. The last of the Imperial rearguard ships were already coming under Procyon fire from behind them.

"Acknowledgement from the fleet, ma'am," she said.

"Very good." Amelia nodded, straightening up quickly. "Now, then. Odds and evens to port and starboard respectively, squadrons in line astern. Reverse course on the leaders to encircle. Can you do that, Mr Wynn?"

"Er..." Wynn looked frantic.

Aurora smiled and touched her forelock. "If I may, ma'am?"

"Thank you, Ms Mayflower. You may indeed." Amelia inclined her head in thanks. "Quickly, now."

It took even Aurora a few moments to arrange the flags needed for such a complex order, but it was quickly flying from the halyard as the Firebrand raced back towards the action. Amelia drummed her fingers on the bridge rail tensely until she saw the fleet respond. The single line became two lines, which then split apart from each other like the opening petals of a flower. They doubled-back, reversing their courses so that even as Procyon fire on the back of the fleet intensified, the vanguard was already bearing down on them, the abrupt manoeuvre screened from Procyon view by their quarry in the rearguard. Instead of meeting them head-on, each line of Amelia's ships would now pass around the outside of the enemy formation. It was an easy trap to break out of, but the Procyons were hampered by their lumbering ironclads and were slow to react – too slow. Amelia smiled with satisfaction as the racing torpedo boat came towards one of the columns and began overtaking it.

"Textbook encirclement, ma'am," said Aurora, genuinely impressed. "I always wondered whether those diagrams would actually work."

"It helps when your opponent is as drearily predictable as Ambassador Boas," Amelia grinned. "Bring us into line astern of that capital ship, Mr Wynn. Let's not miss the fun."

"Aye, ma'am!" Wynn gestured to the helmsman. "Match speed! Hold six degrees port drift for thirty seconds!"

"Twenty-five," said Aurora, automatically. Wynn looked puzzled for a moment but then nodded.

"A...aye, ma'am. Twenty-five seconds. Stand by torpedoes! Stand by gun crew!"

The _Firebrand_ slipped into the Imperial line just astern of a battleship near the head of the line. The broad stern on which the name _Retribution_ was proudly displayed was almost as wide as the _Firebrand_ was long, and Aurora found herself grateful to be in the capital ship's shadow.

"All ships may fire as they bear," said Amelia, who seemed to wear the same aura of invincibility no matter where she was. "Maximum impact."

"Approaching the Procyon fleet, ma'am," warned Aurora. She saw the opening shots exchanged as the forces converged once more. Procyon torpedoes lanced out and struck several Imperial vessels at close range. The _Firebrand_ replied, her own torpedoes joining a salvo of others that sliced through the densely-packed Procyon ships. Aurora watched them find one of the great ironclads at the centre of the enemy formation and tear off one of its turrets with a direct hit. She grinned, the thrill of battle once again overcoming the throbbing in her wounded arm.

"A hit, ma'am!" she shouted. "A very palpable hit!"

"Very good, Mr Wynn!" said Amelia. "Keep it up, now!"

"Thank you, ma'am!" Wynn nodded. "Gunners, stand by!"

The _Retribution_ opened fire, three decks of ordnance firing together. The range was so close that the muzzle flash and impact were almost simultaneous. Then it was the _Firebrand_'s turn, the small cannon on its mount bucking as it spat its single shell into the enemy. The gun captain roared and the crew leapt into action to reload it. A second shell, and then a third, found their targets. Procyon return fire stabbed back at them, but it seemed as if the torpedo boat's small size was its salvation as the Retribution took the brunt of it. Aurora saw splinters burst from its heavy timbered hull before its guns spoke again. The Procyon armada was taking fire from both sides now as the other half of Amelia's fleet brought its batteries to bear, and Aurora saw Boas' three-hulled battleship struggling through the blizzard of flame. Its sails were ragged and it was listing heavily to one side with black smoke pouring from one of the outriggers. Even the ironclads were faring poorly, their hulls buckling under the sheer weight of the shells pounding them, turrets rotating madly to find their targets. The crackle of laslocks reached her ears and she turned to see Amelia directing the _Firebrand_'s small contingent of marines in firing on the enemy, leading by example with her own rifle. A Procyon shell hit the torpedo boat's single longboat, moored in the centre of the deck, blowing it apart and sending burning fragments spiralling. Aurora saw them fall across the desk, sending the gun crew running for cover.

"Get those fires out!" she shouted, darting forwards. "Get them out!"

She grabbed a fleeing gunner by the collar and shoved him back towards his station with a snarl. Still running, she tore off her blue and gold coat and beat at a blazing piece of timber that had fallen in a pile of rope until it was out. Galvanised, spacers sprang into action, taking up buckets, even kicking flaming embers over the side. Aurora shouted encouragement above the din of the battle, directing the effort until the danger had passed. Wiping her brow, she turned and called up to the bridge.

"Fire's out, ma'am!"

"Very good!" Amelia paused to reload her rifle. The Procyon fleet had lost formation completely. Individual ships were attempting to close with the nearest Imperial vessel, ragged salvoes of cannon fire still spitting from their remaining guns. A burning cruiser was attempting to grapple with the _Retribution_, rocket-launched lines arcing out towards it. The fighting was too intense to allow Amelia to send any signals and she knew she had to place her faith in her ships and crews to do their duties. The _Firebrand_ lurched underfoot as she fired her torpedoes again, one missing the flaming cruiser but the other striking it on the bridge, knocking the stern down. The Procyon ship's bows came up as it went into a spin, being hammered all the while by the battleship's gun. Aurora saw the figures of its crew falling off into space as its artificial gravity failed and she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for them. A Procyon destroyer tried to break the Imperial column astern of them but was intercepted by a frigate. The two ships came together with a crunch of timbers as the hulls met, the narrowing space between them ablaze with gunfire. Aurora saw a second frigate emerge from behind the first, raking the enemy destroyer from stern to stem before throwing her own grappling lines and pulling herself in, sandwiching the hapless Procyons. An ironclad in the heart of the Procyon fleet exploded, the fireball consuming two nearby vessels which couldn't escape in time.

"Take us out of the line, lieutenant," said Amelia. "This is no place for a torpedo boat."

"Right you are, ma'am." Aurora looked at Wynn. "May I?"

Wynn waved. "Be my guest."

Aurora nodded her thanks and took the wheel. She span it and enjoyed the speed at which the little ship responded to her commands. She took them out of the line, in the lee of the _Retribution_, before turning them back to face the battle. The other light Imperials ships were doing the same, darting back into the melee to pick off targets of opportunity as the bigger frigates and battleships hammered away.

"Torpedoes reloaded, ma'am," reported Wynn from the fire control console.

Amelia nodded. "Find us a target, Ms Mayflower."

"Yes, ma'am." Aurora scanned the enemy fleet. "Enemy heavy cruiser two points off the starboard bow."

Wynn nodded. "I concur, ma'am. She's a fine mark."

"Excellent. Take us in." Amelia raised her rifle. "Marines! Make ready!"

The ship's single gun fired again as the crew brought it to bear. Aurora gripped the wheel tightly and watched the range count down. The heavy cruiser was already under fire from two other Imperial vessels, but it had a few guns left to turn on them as they approached. Aurora tried to weave between the tracer shots as best she could, turning the wheel this way and that.

"Steady as she goes, lieutenant!" Amelia called. "Then hard a starboard as soon as the torpedoes are away!"

"Aye, ma'am!" Aurora narrowed her eyes, hoping that no Procyon gunner found their range in the meantime. The telltale kick as the torpedoes left the tubes was a welcome sensation as Procyon fire tracked them. A shell whistled through the sail, leaving a neat round hole with scorched edges behind. Aurora put the wheel hard over and began weaving through the lattice of fire coming at them. The torpedoes struck home with dull crunches, penetrating the enemy deck before detonating inside and tearing apart the heavy cruiser's vitals. It yawed drunkenly out of control, veering towards a Procyon destroyer and crashing through its rigging. Aurora joined in the cheers despite knowing that they were far from out of danger. A crippled ironclad, belching smoke from buckled hull plates, turned its turrets on them and fired a single ragged salvo. A shell hit the port yardarm and smashed through it without detonating. Aurora dropped as the shattered timber span through the air overhead, close enough that she could feel its passage. She got to her feet and turned to Amelia when a second enemy shell hit the little ship, throwing her into the wheel and forcing her to try not to scream as her injured arm took her weight. Her ears rang with the sound of the detonation and she covered her head as splinters fell around her, breathing hard until she was able to push herself to her feet.

"Blast it all," she muttered, looking around again.

To her surprise, the world had changed completely. There were cheers ringing out all across the deck, the ship's company standing and waving hats and weapons in the air. The ironclad which had hit them was gone, a cloud of oily black smoke, still highlighted with flame, marking its demise.

"Ma'am?" Aurora looked around to see Amelia shaking hands with Lieutenant Wynn before she descended from the bridge to main deck, raising her hand to acknowledge the congratulations of the crew. Aurora straightened up and saluted. Amelia returned the gesture.

"Well, now, lieutenant," she said, grinning, "What do you think of that?"

Aurora turned. White flags had broken out across the remaining Procyon ships like spring blossoms. Even the last of the ironclads now flew them from their smokestacks. Boas' battleship, broken and drifting out of control, had three of the flags flying from its masts. The shell which had hit the _Firebrand_ must have been the last one fired. Aurora found herself laughing in disbelief as she realised what had happened.

"They're surrendering, ma'am!"

"Indeed they are, Ms Mayflower," Amelia grinned.

"Signal from the enemy flagship, admiral!" called Wynn.

Amelia nodded to Aurora, who picked up her telescope and put it to her eye.

"The Procyon Ambassador wishes to speak with the Imperial commander, ma'am," she said, watching the crippled battleship and smiling. "To discuss...a cessation of hostilities and safe passage."

"I'm sure he does," Amelia grinned. "Signal my readiness. He can come to us. And signal Mr Hawkins that he can escort the Parliament back into position."

"Yes, ma'am." Aurora touched her forelock and started towards the bridge.

"And lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am?" Aurora turned around.

Amelia grinned at her. "That," she said, pointing to the white flags on the enemy fleet, "is how you negotiate with a Proc. It looks like you'll be meeting the Queen today after all..."


End file.
